Tag Archives: Clinton

Barack Obama confronts a situation in which his nation is economically damaged and militarily exhausted making him less able to take aggressive stands in support of human rights. Several leading human rights groups are urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be firm in her meetings with Chinese officials about the situation of human rights in that nation. Human Rights told her fighting for human rights would send “a signal” to Beijing although it is doubtful if such comments would elicit anything other than anger and hostility. Years ago when she was a senator, Clinton spoke at conferences that it is the “duty of all governments to respect the fundamental human rights of women and men.” Those words were then, today, she is secretary of state of a nation that is experiencing economic collapse.

Hillary Clinton is now secretary of state and is not an individual senator who can freely speak her mind. The United States has limited leverage on the Chinese government and it is not likely she can do anything other than express some quiet pleasant words.

After eight years of George Bush, relations between the United States and Russia have deteriorated to the point where the two nations have been unable to cooperate in dealing with many issues such as towards Iran. American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov exchanged greetings, but there is an opportunity aside from formal greetings to engage Russia in assisting the world. Russia has as much to be concerned about the emergence of a powerful nuclear Iran as does the United States. Russia has a large Muslim population and it would damage Russian interests for Iran to become a powerful nation that might appeal to disgruntled Muslims inside Russia. The government of Vladmir Putin does not like terrorists anymore than does the United States. The authoritarian tendencies of Putin and Medvedev feel threatened by the presence of terrorist groups within its borders

Step one in any American and Russian move toward friendly relations must entail ending the Bush plans to construct missile bases in Poland and the Czech Republic as well as furthering NATO’s thrust into east Europe. The United States must pay attention to the national interests and concerns of Russia by ending Bush provocation and enlisting Russian support in dealing with Iran and the Middle East. Russia can be an ally once Bush views toward the world cease to be the face of America.

The acrimonious primary campaign between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton was bound to provide cannon fodder for Republican attacks on the Illinois senator, and yesterday, John McCain unleashed a Clinton comment that “I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience that he will bring to the White House and Senator Obama has a speech that he gave in 2002.” The ad is not a surprise and comes at a moment when Hillary Clinton is on a campaign swing in support of her former opponent. Senator Clinton waged a strong offense against Obama and the question is whether she went to far in the quest for the nomination.

Hillary Clinton does not want John McCain elected because she knows the damage he will do to the United States of America. The sad story of her campaign is reflected in some of her ignorant supporters who believe electing anti-woman John McCain is somehow a way of achieving the goals Clinton was fighting for in her campaign. Men and women who believed in the ideals of Hillary Clinton who decide to vote for John McCain are individuals who allow their emotions to take precedence over the needs of this nation. Believe it or not, there were some Germans who voted for Adolf Hitler in the hope he was so bad, the nation would turn against him and prepare the way for their own candidate to get elected. When I hear Clinton supporters say they will vote for McCain, I am reminded of those fools who voted for Hitler.

P.S. John McCain in no way is anything like Adolf Hitler, but he will damage this country due to his ignorance and lack of knowledge of foreign policy. As for ideas on domestic policies, he never met an intelligent one he could accept. My reference to those who voted for Hitler is in the context of how the minds of humans work when they commit blunders.

Senator Hillary Clinton called for an investigation into the Pentagon’s efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assaults. “I am deeply concerned by the Pentagon’s inadequate response to sexual assaults on our troops and the administration’s unwillingness to answer questions about this important issue. She asked for the Senate armed Services Committee to hold hearings that would “allow us to identify the necessary reforms to protect our service members from sexual assault.

The GAo found that nearly half of those who alleged sexual assaults at the 14 installations visited by auditors did not report the assaults for reasons ranging from fear of harassment to a sense the command would be unresponsive. The lack of effort to ensure such conditions would be dealt with in an appropriate manner suggests failure of leadership in the Pentagon and by the president.

California Senator Dianne Feinstein, who hosted the recent Obama-Clinton meeting, told a TV audience she believes the two former rivals should combine forces in order to present a truly united Democratic ticket. “Hillary Clinton is well known, certainly she had the popular vote in this election. That is something and that is something tremendous.” She insisted there was no intention on her part to dictate to Obama, but “ll I can say is I agree with (Pennsylvania Governor ) Ed Rendell, that if you really want a winning ticket, this is it.”

There is little doubt a portion of Hlllary Clinton voters are alienated and will either sit out the election or vote for McCain in spite despite their spite hurting their own interests. People allow emotions to take over their common sense when it comes to voting. Regardless of what Obama desires, he might well take the Feinstein advice.

Senator Barack Obama was supposed to return home last night but when reporters went to see him off at the airport, there was no Obama in sight. The Democratic presidential candidate went to the home of Senator Hillary Clnton for a meeting of the two rivals. Experts are speculating as to the purpose of the session, but most probably it is a first meeting of many that will be held. However, it will be the first ime they have met in which Obama is the victor and she is the vanquished. They must learn how to interact in these new roles. Undoubtedly, the most important initial issue is what Clinton will say to her supporters on Saturday night. They will be discussing issues of reconciliation and how the campaign can become united in order to defeat John McCain.

Hopefully, if Obama has reached a conclusion to select someone else for his vice president, this is the evening to convey the information. There is nothing to be gained by delaying this important information to the New York senator. She should be the first person who learns of who will run for the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket. However, Obama might consider it more respectful to go through a process of exploring candidates before making a final decision.

Senator Barack Obama won the nomination to run for president as the Democratic candidate. It was an historic date in the history of the United States of America and he most likely will be giving his acceptance speech on the anniversary of the Martin Luther King “I Have A Dream Speech.” As of today, Senator Hillary Clinton has yet to announce the end of her campaign and apparently will not make any specific comment about her future plans for several days. As one TV commentator noted last night, Senator McCain gave a speech which attacked Obama, Senator Clinton gave a speech about herself, and Senator Obama gave a speech about the future of America.

I was born in 1930, a time when segregation was common in America and only one Negro served in Congress– he represented Harlem. I served in a segregated United States army and watched it end segregation and put in place a very successful affirmative action program. I lived to see the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case and was part of the college class when our teacher, Dr, Kenneth Clark(he wrote the psychological aspect of the Brown case) entered the room and we cheered knowing we were part of a historic moment. I lived to see the legal end of segregation– it lingers on in other more subtle ways– was among the first Jews able to purchase a home in a suburban St. Louis community, and witnessed the rise to prominence of Colin Powell to head the US armed forces.

We are living in an historic moment. The selection of Barack Obama sends a message to the world that we are the first post industrial nation to have a person of African heritage run for the highest office in the land. In itself, the Obama nomination does not end hate and bigotry, but it begins the end of the old era and marks the birth of a new era which in the coming decades will finally put an end to hatred and bigotry.

Barack Obama expressed his dislike of comments made by a guest minister in his church the past weekend in which Senator Clinton was mocked and derided by the Rev. Michael Pfieger. Obama said he was “deeply disappointed” by the tone and words used in the sermon. The Rev. Pfieger, a Chicago activist, also apologized for what he said last Sunday when he stated Clinton’s eyes swelled with tears before the New Hampshire primary because she felt “entitled” to the Democratic nomination because “there’s a black man stealing my show.” He went on: “She just always thought that ‘this is mine. I’m Bill’s wife. I’m white.. And then, out of nowhere came, “Hey, i’m Barack Obama. And she said, ‘Oh damn, where did you come from? I’m white. I’m entitled. There’s a black man stealing my show.”

The pastor went on to mock Senator Clinton by wiping his face with a handkerchief and saying, “she wasn’t the only one crying. There was a whole lot of white people crying.”

Barack Obama emphasized, that “as I have traveled this country, I’ve been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfieger’s divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn’t reflect the counry I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause.”

Clinton spokespeople expressed their disappointment that “Senator Obama doesn’t specifically reject Father Pfieger’s despicable comments about Senator Clinton.” Unless, I am not able to read the English language, Senator Obama has specifically denounced the comments of the pastor. I assume terming somone’s talk as “divisve backward-looking rhetoric” is attacking the individual.

Former Senator John Edwards who ended his own presidential hopes a few months ago, gave a strong endorsement to the Barack Obama campaign by telling a rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan: “There is one man who knows in his heart that it is time to create one America, not two, and that man is Barack Obama.” He told the audience: “The reason I am here tonight is the Democratic voters in America have made their choice and so have I.” John Edwards already has garnered the support of several dozen delegates to the convention and Obama hopes those individuals will follow the lead of Edwards and back his candidacy.

The Edwards endorsement together with four more super delegates coming over to the Obama camp is welcome news after his crushing defeat in West Virginia. Edwards is popular among white working groups and he undoubtedly will be campaigning this fall for Obama in working class areas.

Hillary Clinton shrugged off the Edwards endorsement and insisted: “We don’t have a nominee yet and until we do, I’m going to be making my case.”

Senator Hllary Clinton won a decisive victory in the West Virginia primary by gaining over 60% of the votes including nearly 75% of white voters. Her triumph will be touted by supporters as an indication Obama is unable to attract support from large sectors of the white American working class population. A large percent of those voting for Clinton told pollsters they would not vote for Obama if he is the candidate of the Democratic Party.

The “white flight” that Clinton uses to justify continuing her campaign is something she has helped create by the relentless manner in which she has constantly attacked Obama and insisted in virtually every speech that only she is capable of reaching the white working class of America. Of course, there is no way to determine if this group would be so hostile to Obama without the past five months of being hammered by Clinton that Obama is their enemy. She has resorted to both subtle and blatant racist comments which proclaim her the only one who is concerned with white working class concerns.

The Clintons have always been consumed by a desire to be in the limelight of power and have been willing to risk destroying the Democratic party if that organization must be sacrificed for their own political end goals. There is a sadness in witnessing the senator from New York wander the land talking like a George Wallace and attempting to portray herself as coming from the working class. Both Clintons would sell their souls for the office of the presidency. What price salvation is the real question?